TOKYO —A government panel of experts on Thursday recommended that Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) consider freezing the soil around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to reduce the amount of radioactive groundwater being generated by water flowing into the plant.

According to the panel’s plan, pipes would be placed in the ground and filled with coolant at a temperature of minus 40 degrees Celsius. This would then freeze the surrounding soil, effectively acting as an underground wall around the plant.

TEPCO officials promised to study the plan but said the cost of installing such a system would be high. It also said it would take several years to implement.

Currently, about 400 tons of water are seeping into the reactor buildings each day.

Meanwhile, Fuji TV reported that TEPCO officials also met Thursday with local fishermen’s co-operatives to explain their plan to divert water into the sea.

TEPCO’s plan calls for digging wells in 12 locations and pumping the underground water to the surface before it can seep into the plant. The water would then be dumped in the sea with no environmental impact, TEPCO claimed.